Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Athletes; a case-based review

Abstract

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is recommended in pre-participation evaluation of athletes to measure their cardiorespiratory fitness and maximal exercise tolerance. It is used for the diagnosis of probable cardiovascular and pulmonary disease and for the investigation of possible risks in sports. In case of non-specific symptoms during exercise, which are frequent in athletes, CPET is useful in the evaluation of physiological responses of body organ systems to exercise. This case-based review demonstrate the potential of CPET in the assessment of fatigue and loss of performance in a competitive professional athlete.